As you can see from the tweet above, Nick Saban announced at a press conference today that C.J. Mosley will not be turning pro. It’s not a major surprise – many of Alabama’s big name defensive players have gone the distance over the last few years. He would’ve been an option for the Seahawks at the WILL position in the first two rounds of next April’s draft. Despite today’s news, Alec Ogletree is still expected to declare while seniors Arthur Brown and Khaseem Greene will make up for the loss of Mosley from the 2013 draft class.

Dan Kadar at Mocking the Draft is running an ‘underclassmen tracker’ which is worth bookmarking.

Cordarrelle Patterson is definitely declaring the 2013 NFL Draft.

That’s according to Tennesee’s new Head Football Coach Butch Jones, who wished him well and left it at that.

I think I talked about Patterson going pro with kearly. I guess the stuff I heard was true. I think Patterson could be a nice sleeper late 1st for us but what do I know? I know many have him as a top 5 draft pick talent if he stayed at Tennessee. If you are interested in Patterson I will tell you this....he has the best 45 degree angle/lateral movement I have ever seen and I don't say that lightly, he goes in those directions faster than anyone I have seen before, almost like he keeps going full speed and he never lost momentum. I have been watching football for almost 30 years and this guy has some kind of super speed when he goes at angles. He has the size Schnieder likes too. And he is a jump ball guy like Schnieder seems to covet. Injury and immaturity is a concern. He is the kind of guy you would consider cutting Leon Washington for. Start him off as a return guy like Percy Harvin and work him into the offense. No matter what he helps you out in field position. And if you did cut Leon for him you'd probably save 2.5 million if my memory is correct on Leons salary.

I'm not surprised by Patterson declaring at all. He's going to have a 1st year QB throwing to him next season that will presumably be less prolific (for lack of a better word) than Bray. Patterson is a 1st round pick right now. And it's not like he's a 1st round prospect because of his achievements, it's because of what he could be. He has some hype building for him right now and it's likely that his draft stock peak will occur this offseason.

Mosely, I'm surprised by. Although I guess I shouldn't be. Alabama players never seem to be in a hurry to leave Nick Saban.

Overall I find this to be good news. Patterson is a player worth being on the Seahawks radar, and even if he isn't he makes a deep WR class even deeper, allowing Seattle a better chance to find great value at the position wherever they decide to make that investment.

Last edited by kearly on Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

The more I watch of Cordarrelle Patterson, the more I love him. Yes he is raw but he could be immediate impact. With his size and ability he could get off the line and his amazing quickness at 45 degrees he could eat teams up on a quick slant. You add in his return abilities and he's playing day one. Imagine him and Sidney Rice's size out wide (both 6'3 +). Tate and Baldwin in the slot. Miller and McCoy as TE targets. We all know how Wilson likes to throw it up and let his wides make a play deep. And I think Patterson may be just sitting there ready to be had late first. Getting a Julio Jones/Percy Harvin type is such a value pick. Okay I'm done lol. He'll probably get drafted right before us anyway.

Scottemojo wrote:Mosely will have some time to change his mind if Saban gets snapped up by a pro team, but I'm not holding my breath on that one. He was my favorite LB in this draft.

After the Miami debacle, which NFL team in their right mind would hire Saban?

Pete Carroll was a debacle in the NFL before getting his shot again with the Seahawks. The Dolphins were a competitive team with Saban. Not good, but competitive. He very nearly signed Drew Brees. Obviously, that would have changed the past six years quite a bit had he gotten his QB, at both the pro and college levels.

Nick Saban got a reputation as a hard ass during his time with the Dolphins- but you never hear any such talk about him as the coach at Alabama. Maybe he learned something from that experience in Miami and grew as a coach and as a person.

The reason I don't expect Saban in the NFL any time soon is because he probably isn't interested. Saban wasn't fired, he walked away after just two seasons. Maybe he'll be like Carroll and his ego will demand that he prove himself as an NFL coach, but for now he seems perfectly content with destroying the college football landscape year in and year out. Saban isn't a young buck either- I think he might just be satisfied with starring in the minors for another 20-30 years and then calling it a life.

Scottemojo wrote:Mosely will have some time to change his mind if Saban gets snapped up by a pro team, but I'm not holding my breath on that one. He was my favorite LB in this draft.

After the Miami debacle, which NFL team in their right mind would hire Saban?

Pete Carroll was a debacle in the NFL before getting his shot again with the Seahawks. The Dolphins were a competitive team with Saban. Not good, but competitive. He very nearly signed Drew Brees. Obviously, that would have changed the past six years quite a bit had he gotten his QB, at both the pro and college levels.

Nick Saban got a reputation as a hard ass during his time with the Dolphins- but you never hear any such talk about him as the coach at Alabama. Maybe he learned something from that experience in Miami and grew as a coach and as a person.

The reason I don't expect Saban in the NFL any time soon is because he probably isn't interested. Saban wasn't fired, he walked away after just two seasons. Maybe he'll be like Carroll and his ego will demand that he prove himself as an NFL coach, but for now he seems perfectly content with destroying the college football landscape year in and year out. Saban isn't a young buck either- I think he might just be satisfied with starring in the minors for another 20-30 years and then calling it a life.

I think Saban would demand the same type of gig as Pete, lots of input and control. Pete had the rah rah rep to deal with, but that isn't the he quit and left rep by a long shot.

Did you hear Mort's take on Saban a week ago? Saban has a lot of real hatred out there.

Scottemojo wrote:Did you hear Mort's take on Saban a week ago? Saban has a lot of real hatred out there.

I did not. Can you fill me in?

As far as Saban, do you honestly believe there isn't a desperate NFL team that would love to gamble on Saban right now? The relationship between the NFL and College is basically 180 degrees from where it was six years ago. These days the most coveted coaching prospect in the NFL is Chip Kelly. Let's be honest, when Seattle hired Carroll I loved it, but it was what it was, a desperation move by a desperate team and accepted by a desperate coach. It's remarkable how much things have changed since then.

If I'm a team like the Browns, I look at Nick Saban and think that maybe he quits in two years again, or maybe he's the next Carroll/Harbaugh. Given that the 49ers and Seahawks have quickly become two of the elite teams in the NFL, that seems like a really tantalizing gamble if you ask me.

I think the real hangup is Saban. He's hardly desperate to leave Alabama and I think part of the reason he left Miami was because he missed coaching in college. I don't really expect him to go to the NFL ever again, unless his ego can't take seeing so many lesser coaches becoming NFL stars.

Mort just out and out called him a liar and said he will not be welcomed back to the NFL.

I think there is an old boys club in the NFL. Seattle was panned for taking Carroll because he isn't approved by that club. So yeah, somebody might take a chance on him, but it won't be an "old money" owner. The new Browns ownership is tied to the Steelers, so not them. Not Philly either. Probably not San Diego, Not Kansas City. If the Raiders change, maybe, but Saban wouldn't take that job. Not the Cards, he will want too much.